Highalator rebounds at Big M

East Rutherford, NJ — Heee’s baaack!

After an incredibly uncharacteristic sixth-place finish a week ago in a race that saw him back up on the far turn while going after the leader, Highalator (Rick Still), the best overnight horse currently in training at The Meadowlands, returned to his outstanding self with another eye-popping performance in the track’s weekly pacing feature Saturday night (Oct. 24).

Highalator rebounded on Saturday night, with a game victory in The Meadowlands feature. Lisa Photo.

Having been assigned post position nine in the nine-horse field for non-winners of $20,000 in their last five starts on the pace, driver Ricky Still did what he usually does with Highalator, leave the gate hard. Stacked up five-wide into the first turn, the 6-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere-Higher And Higher kept on digging on the outside as early leader U S Captain (Simon Allard) yielded to Ana Afreet N (George Napolitano Jr.), who then yielded to Highalator, who grabbed the top while parked at the half in a sizzling :53.

Despite having won three in a row before last week’s loss, Highalator was sent to the gate as the 3-1 second choice. He was sailing along on the point as 7-5 favorite Ana Afreet N, who was looking for his third straight score, remained in the pocket as three-quarters was hit in 1:21.

Ana Afreet N vacated the pocket inside the eighth pole, and while he relentlessly inched closer, he could not pass Highalator, who held on by a pulse-pounding nose in 1:49.3. Angers Bayama (Vincent Ginsburg) finished third.

Highalator, who returned $8.80 to win, has now won 39-of-84 career starts (seven-for-15 in 2020), good for earnings of $625,864 for owners Jenny Bier (who is also his trainer), Joann Dombeck and Midsize Construction.

A LITTLE MORE: A two-day carryover in the 20-cent Pick-6 led to a total pool of $41,095, and those with winning tickets had big smiles on their faces. After a sequence that saw winners’ odds of 5-1, 4-5, 7-1, 3-1, 2-1 and 6-1, the payout was a handsome $9,255. … Jason Lynch recorded his first-ever win at The Big M guiding Edge Of Eternity to a wire-to-wire score in the third race in 1:51.4. He also trains the 4-year-old, whose recent stops include Harrington Raceway, Ocean Downs and Harrah’s Philadelphia. … Todd McCarthy continued to do good things, as the recent Australian import drove three winners on the card. … All-source wagering totaled $2,077,815. … Racing resumes Friday at 7:15 p.m.

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